This workout is so adaptable it barely counts as just one workout. 800m intervals are a classic workout for nearly any race distance. Long enough to require sustained effort but short enough to allow for good recovery, 800m intervals are useful for training any distance from the 5k to marathons.

If you’re new to running or to speed work, start with 4 – 6 intervals at goal race pace, jogging in between each interval for the time it took to complete the hard running. You can do this workout once a week, increasing reps by one each week.

Make the workout more challenging by increasing the amount of repetitions, or decreasing the rest, though we recommend doing one or the other, not both. Ouch. Some marathon training plans call for 12 – 16 repetitions with just 60 seconds rest in between, at which point the workout becomes an exercise not just in physical endurance, but mental strength too.